Broadband for Strathspey - News and exchange availability.
If you live in the Badenoch or Strathspey area you can check broadband availability from ADSL and cable suppliers at Samknows (formally the Broadband Resource site). The Broadband Resource also has a Scotland summary page. Also see Highland or Moray pages. Also recommended for broadband news is ThinkBroadband (formallyADSL Guide) and UK Bug (UK Broadband Usergroup). You can visit the telco British Telecom Broadband site. "On this site you can find out what broadband is, how it can be used in the home and for work and what benefits it offers." Use 'Can you get it' to check if your phone line is within range of your local exchange but note it is not always accurate. BT have this Scotland info page. The Access to Broadband Campaign exists to promote the universal availability of broadband Internet access. There is also the Government quango Broadband Stakeholder Group.
Once your exchange has a Ready for Service Date you should be able to pre-order ADSL. To compare various Internet Service Providers see ISP Review or Broadband Help or net 4 nowt.
A 'full' broadband ADSL connection is 512Kbps download with 256Kbps upload and with no 'significant' usage cap. Faster 1Mbps and 2Mbps connections are also available (but restricted to a line length under 3.5km). Recently a whole range of slower speed, variable speed, increased contention ratio and capped services are being offered. These may be appropriate for some but be aware of what each ISP is providing.
Business Resources
Scottish Enterprise broadband info. Including details of Scottish Executive is offering incentives towards installation and running costs for business.
Highlands & Islands Enterprise E-business - page with some links. HIE also have Broadband for Scotland pages.
HI-WIDE "a not-for-profit company by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in September 2003 to respond to the need of providing broadband in the most rural and remote locations in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland."
Wireless (Wi-Fi)
Looking for a 801.11 Wi-Fi Hotspot? Try Hotspot Directory, the Hotspot Locations directory or ZD Net UK map. Nothing listed for the area yet (there were several in Aviemore during the ABC conference). If you know of any please advise. Or if you run your Wi-Fi network open (hopefully intentionally!) and happy for others to access I can list here (but only with owners permission). If you have a wireless network, you are strongly advised to enable (WEP) encryption and restrict access (by MAC address) to your computers.
News
Register if can not get broadband! - 5.1.2008
Register at The Scottish Government by 18.1.2008 if you can not get broadband. See Broadband for Scotland and ThinkBroadband.
Pathfinder North behind schedule - 29.11.2007
Report by BBC News that the £70m Pathfinder North project to provide broadband in Highlands and Islands is over budget and behind schedule. A key priority is to connect primary and secondary schools at minimum of 4Mbs. See ThinkBroadband and Pathfinder North.
Tomatin to get full ADSL exchange - 14.8.2007
A Due to capacity issues Tomatin is one of 18 exchanges to be upgraded from 'Exchange Activate' to full ADSL allowing speeds above 512kbps. See Samknows.
Scottish Executive £5m to fill in broadband black-spots - 21.12.2006
A further £5 million is to be made available to extend the roll-out of broadband services to make access in Scotland as widespread as possible. See Scottish Executive and ThinkBroadband.
ESA - INSPIRE project 'Bringing satellite broadband to Britain'
- 10.11.2006
There still remain many areas of Europe without access to broadband internet, but a project supported by the European Space Agency’s Satellite Telecommunications Department is helping to bridge this digital divide. Soon to reach thousand of users, the INSPIRE project will also act as a precursor for services on the forthcoming HYLAS satellite.
. See ESA .
Scottish Executive looking at broadband black-spots
- 14.8.2006
Independent consultans have been employed by the Scottish Executive to look at issue of isolated pockets - particularly on the west coast of the north Highlands - with no access to terrestrial broadband. See ADSL Guide.
8Mb 'Max' products on the way - 24.2.2006
BT Wholesale Max products is a standard ADSL product, but with rate adaptive downstream and upstream speeds. Speeds will 'rate adapt' from between 160kbps to 8192kbps on the downstream, and up to 448kbps on the upstream. Use the The Broadband Resource Exchange Search to check for (provisional) activation dates. (Aviemore, Carrbridge, Grantown On Spey and others are listed as: 31/02/2006. Cairngorm and Tomatin not yet listed). See your ISP for options to move to Max products.
'Every community in Scotland now has access to broadband' - 2.1.2006
Scottish Executive state that "every community in Scotland now has access to broadband" and are working to "identify clusters of properties without access to ADSL, and hope to investigate solutions during 2006." Press Release and more info at ADSL Guide.
Eight 'roll out' exchange enabled - 15.7.2005
In the last month eight of the last ten exchanges in our area have been enabled. They are: Advie enabled
Internet via Satellite for Promoting Inclusion of Rural Economies (INSPIRE) - 5.7.2005
"Avanti Screenmedia of London, UK, have been awarded a contract to provide for the installation of a mix of satellite and wireless broadband Internet access technology in 600 small communities. The communities will be located in two regions in the UK. In the long-term, provision is being made for expansion of the project to areas outside the UK." See European Space Agency (ESA) article.
Boat Of Garten the last 'triggered' exchange enabled - 25.5.2005
Today Boat Of Garten the last exchange in the area to be enabled via the pre-registration scheme was finally switched on.
More details on roll-out - 26.4.2005
Of the 378 exchanges, 230 will be equipped with standard ADSL. The 148 smaller exchanges will use the 'BT Exchange Activate' product to provide a 0.5Mbps 'basic broadband service'. See ADSL Guide story. The roll-out schedule is yet to be released but details should be available on the Broadband for Scotland site soon. See their availability checker.
Broadband rollout by end of year - BBC Online - 25.4.2005
"Every corner of Scotland will have access to broadband by the end of the year, according to ministers." and "The executive's contract with BT will result in the broadband-enabling of 378 of the 399 exchanges in Scotland that were not due to be enabled commercially." Note the remaining 21 are in the Western Isles and will be enabled via the Connected Communities project.
See Scottish Executive and ADSL Guide.
Braemar enabled - 23.3.2005
Today Braemar exchange was enabled. Only Boat of Garten remains on the rollout list.
Carron enabled - 16.2.2005
Today Carron exchange was enabled.
BT announce 8Mbps ADSL plans and 18Mbps ADSL2+ trials - 3.2.2005
BT have announced plans to offer from this autumn, up to 8Mbps on lines currently capable of 2Mbps. Speed achieved will depend on line quality. BT have also announced plans to trial ADSL2+ at speeds of up to 18Mbps. See The Broadband Resource and BT press release.
Nethybridge enabled - 26.1.2005
Today Nethybridge exchange was enabled.
Lack of broadband could leave village out of touch - Strathspey & Badenoch Herald: 20.1.2005
"Business leaders in Dulnain Bridge fear that the village could become a backwater if they remain without broadband access."
Glenlivet
enabled - 8.12.2004
Today Glenlivet exchange was enabled.
European Commission approves funding for remote and rural area broadband projects
- 29.11.2004
The European Commission has approved public funding for two broadband projects including the Scottish project for many 'unviable' exchanges. See ADSL Guide.
Badenoch and Strathspey hotspot free- 25.11.2004
Wi-Fi hotspots are quickly becoming an important business tool for traveling workers and tourist but our area has no known public access hotspots.
Rothes enabled - 24.11.2004
Today Rothes exchange was enabled.
Broadband gap widens as UK Online announce 8Mbps ADSL - 15.11.2004
UK Online are to launch a 8Mbps ADSL service for £39.99 based on their LLU (Local Loop Unbundling) exchanges. With rural areas being unattractive to LLU - where ISPs install their own equipment in BT exchanges - we need to wait for BT to upgrade their products and or equipment before faster speeds will become available. For the foreseeable future we will be stuck with 1 or 2Mbps services.
Kingussie enabled - 27.10.2004
Today Kingussie exchange was enabled. Over half of the triggered exchanges listed have now been enabled.
Aviemore exchange event - 11.10.2004
There was a photo call event today to publicise the activation of the Aviemore exchange. Attended by local MP David Stewart, Ian Shanks, BT Scotland’s head of public affairs, campaigners Paul Hannay, John MacKenzie and (myself) Roy Brown. Photo shows MP David Stewart (left), Ian Shanks in front of the Aviemore exchange's new DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplier). This is the equipment which allows local subscribers to access ADSL which then connects to BT's data hub in Edinburgh. Sandy Robertson from BT, the co-operations manager for Moray and Highlands explained the technology and advised that they had been working hard to connect subscribers, with the first fifty already activated and the latest twenty back orders soon to be activated.
Aviemore enabled - 6.10.2004
Today Aviemore exchange was enabled. Aviemore is the largest exchange in our area, serving 1,570 residential and 138 non-residential premises.
Enabled exchanges (23)
Advie - Enabled
Aberlour - Enabled 11/08/2004
Aviemore - Enabled 06/10/2004
Ballindalloch - Enabled
Boat Of Garten - Enabled 25/05/2005
Braemar - Enabled 23/03/2005
Cabrach - Enabled 13/07/2005
Cairngorm - Enabled 15/06/2005
Carrbridge - Enabled 11/08/2004
Carron - Enabled 16/02/2005
Dalwhinnie - Enabled
Drummuir - Enabled 22/06/2005
Dulnain Bridge - Enabled 15/06/2005
Dufftown - Enabled 04/08/2004
Glenlivet - Enabled 08/12/2004
Grantown On Spey - Enabled 17/12/2003
Kincraig - Enabled 15/07/2005
Kingussie - Enabled 27/10/2004
Nethybridge - Enabled 26/01/2005
Newtonmore - Enabled 25/08/2004
Rothes - Enabled 24/11/2004
Tomatin - Enabled 07/07/2005
Tomintoul - Enabled
Local Campaign Links
Aviemore resident and local campaigner Paul Hannay has a forum for locals who play multi player games which features a countdown for Aviemore activation.
Credits / Contact
Live data and scripts kindly supplied by Sam Knows at The Broadband Resource.
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Note: Information on this page is provided in good faith but no guarantee can be given as to accuracy of the information. No guarantee is given or implied, regarding availability of any service. Please contact your Internet Service Provider or telecommunication provider regarding service availability.
© 2006 - Roy Brown